Biography

juice (‘The 21st century’s answer to the Swingles or the King’s Singers’ The Times) are at the forefront of the UK’s experimental/classical scene, performing new vocal music which draws on classical, world music, jazz, folk, pop, improvisation and theatre. They have featured on BBC Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour, BBC Radio 3 and Classic FM. They have performed at London’s Wigmore Hall and the South Bank, King’s Place and the Roundhouse. In 2011, they made their US debut with concerts in New York and at the famed SXSW Festival in Austin, Texas. In 2007, they were the first UK prize winners in the history of the internationally-renowned Tampere Vocal Festival.

juice‘s debut album ‘Songspin’ (Nonclassical, 2011) won an international Independent Music Award for Best Contemporary Classical Album in 2012. Featuring remixes by the likes of of Camille producer MaJiker and Bjork collaborator Mikhail Karikis, it was reviewed by The Observer as ‘Eighteen immaculately achieved tracks, spanning Elisabeth Lutyens to Gabriel Prokofiev via folk song and avant garde, enchant and enthrall‘ The Observer. Of their second album, ‘Laid Bare: Love Songs’, BBC Music Magazine said, ‘these three are feisty, and will take on anything the variety and virtuosity are astonishing, and rewarding’. Their third album, a collaboration with David Thomas Broughton entitled ‘Sliding the Same Way’, was released September 2014.

juice have had their music choreographed to by Maurice Causey from the Nederlands Dans Theatre; have devised their own live vocal score to the 1916 film The Danger Girl (BFI Southbank, Latitude Festival, King’s Place with the Bird’s Eye View Film Festival); have performed live for a London College of Fashion Graduate Show; and have worked with internationally-renowned beatboxers Shlomo and Beardyman.

juice regularly commission new works: in 2010 alone, juice commissioned 14 new pieces, including their project Laid Bare – 10 Love Songs. This saw juice work with ten diverse UK-based composers, including Gavin Bryars, Anna Meredith, Errollyn Wallen, folk singer Jim Moray and artpop star Micachu to create an utterly diverse songbook spanning fiendishly difficult contemporary writing to ethereal folk song settings. These have been performed at The Vale of Glamorgan Festival, Kings Place, the City of London Festival, the National Portrait Gallery and the York Late Music Festival.

juice are experienced and passionate music educators, bringing experimental a cappella vocal music (both performing and composing of) to groups of all ages and abilities around the country. They have been Ensemble-in-Residence at the universities of York and Ulster and have run workshops and longer projects at numerous other academic institutions. They have run youth projects for the likes of Aldeburgh Young Musicians, Wigmore Hall, Live Music Now, and Sound and Music.